These are all words we often come by; I’m sure almost every store you walk into will have these signs on them. But what do they really mean? Why should we care? And has this been a challenge for Kenyan skincare artisans to achieve? Well, we at JooJoo stores carry 8 local skincare brands that are all Organic, Cruelty-free and Vegan. And this is why we care!
What does cruelty-free mean?
When a brand advertises as ‘CRUELTY-FREE’ that simply means no animals were harmed in the making of the product. Why does this matter?
Animal testing is defined as “experimentation carried out on animals. Used to assess the safety and effectiveness of everything from medication to cosmetics, as well as to understand how the human body works”
Animal testing remains one of the most globally controversial topics to date. With multinational companies still testing products on animals such as mice, rats and even monkeys before testing them on humans. However the testing is not necessarily deemed ‘safe’ for the animals, certain experimentation can lead to suffering, distress and even eventual death. In addition, certain animals that are deemed ‘protected’ in certain parts of the world are used for experimentation purposes and this is where the problem lies.
Animal testing was required to allow for the testing of products we use within our day-to-day lives but is it necessary for skincare or cosmetics? Perhaps this is the question you need to ask yourself before you pick up that product.
Our brands; Wild Earth Botanics, Essenza and Keyara put essentials oils and serums to use. All of these products pressed from natural products and skip the animal testing that gives most of the goosebumps.
Vegan vs. Cruelty-free; Are they the same?
I think most of us don’t really understand the difference between vegan and cruelty-free; I myself did not understand this for a while, so let’s clear this up.
Products that are deemed vegan are products that do not use any ingredients that are directly sourced from animals. While cruelty-free means the product was not tested on animals. Any brand that does both of these is both vegan and cruelty-free
Our brand BU.KE has mastered the art of vegan skincare with the use of purple and green tea; stretching their art from skincare to hair-care. 
What does it mean to have an Organic Product?
I believe this is the most important factor for most consumers. Organic products are those that have a higher percentage of naturally occurring ingredients. Simply put, organic products have loads of natural ingredients on the label. They are made from natural oils, plants and even fruit. These days; just about everyone is looking to go for a more ‘natural’ option, not only is this better for our skin but most organic products have already been tested on humans so there is much less experimentation done for the product to be deemed safe for our use.
So has this been a challenge for Kenyan skincare artisans? I think not! Kenya has a wide variety of naturally occurring ingredients due to the diverse climate and forestry. Boasting the growth of some of the most healing agents for skincare such as aloe vera, coconut, baobab, castor and even tea tree. Making Kenya one of the best places to start a skincare brand.
Our brands Sereti, Kara Sidai and Enzi take organic to the next level, with products infused with coconut oil, aloe vera and shea butter.
Where does JooJoo Stores stand? We are all for It; we have the products you need. Our site carries eight skincare brands for your choosing. All made with locally sourced ingredients and are all organic, cruelty-free and vegan!
Let us know your experience once you’ve tried them out.
Dr. O
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